When Newton discovered the law of gravity, he unified the rules governing the heavens and the Earth. Since then, physicists have been placing new forces into ever-grander theories. But perhaps the ultimate challenge is achieving a monumental synthesis of the two remaining theories--relativity and the quantum theory. This would be the crowning achievement of science, a profound merging of all the forces of nature into one beautiful, magnificent equation to unlock the deepest mysteries in science: What happened before the Big Bang? What lies on the other side of a black hole? Are there other universes and dimensions? Is time travel possible? Why are we here? Kaku also explains the intense controversy swirling around this theory, with Nobel laureates taking opposite sides on this vital question.
[T]his is an excellent book written by a masterful science communicator elaborating on a subject that is his research home turf—superstring theory ... If there is anyone who can demystify the esoteric mathematics and physics of string theory, it is he. And in this wonderful little book, that is precisely what he does—explain in clear and simple terms the conceptual breakthroughs, the blind alleys and the unanswered questions—in the search for a grand unified theory of everything. Most of all, what I like best is that he remains open to the possibility that there may ultimately not be a single unifying theory after all, encoded into a single tidy equation ... The God Equation dazzles in its account of the unfinished quest for a grand unified theory ... Mr. Kaku, a consummate storyteller, provides an engaging, unvarnished account of the progression of science and the intellectual obstacles that have hampered the process of finding a theory of everything. His book presents cutting-edge ideas in theoretical physics, and primes readers to be ready when the next major breakthrough occurs. According to Mr. Kaku, that’s just a matter of time.
An expert account of the search for 'the holy grail of physics.' A veteran science writer, theoretical physicist, and lucid educator, Kaku wisely begins with ancient history, providing an illuminating minihistory of physics ... An important work about an ongoing quest that may befuddle those without a solid grounding in its scientific concepts.
